The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having a securing tab on a shield.
A conductive shell is often mounted on an outside of an electrical connector for shielding the electrical connector from EMI. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,178,562; 4,842,554; and 4,908,335 disclose a type of shell used with electrical connectors. Referring to FIGS. 5, 6A and 6B, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing 9 having several grooves 91 (only one is shown), and a shell 8 having a corresponding number of clipping patches 81 (only one is shown) to interengage with the grooves 91. Each groove 91 further defines a side plane 911 and a bottom plane 912. In assembly, the insulative housing 9 can be inserted into the shell 8, then the clipping patches 81 can be inserted in the corresponding grooves 91 until the clipping patches 81 engage with the bottom planes 912 of the grooves 91. Because the engagement of the clipping patches 81 and the grooves 91 generally consists only of the engagement of the clipping patches 81 and the bottom planes 912, and the side planes 911 generally do not engage with the clipping patches 81, the engagement of the clipping patches 81 and the grooves 91 is not very stable. This can lead to disengagement of the insulative housing 9 from the shell 8, or even removal of the shell 8 from the housing 9. The shield against EMI is therefore not reliable. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a shield which can be reliably assembled with a housing to improve the shielding against EMI.
Accordingly, an electrical connector of the present invention for receiving a mating connector plug comprises an insulative housing, a shield covering an outside of the insulative housing, and a terminal group received in the insulative housing for electrically connecting with the plug. The insulative housing has a front surface and a pair of recesses in a pair of sidewalls. Each recess defines an inner wall and a bottom face. The shield comprises a front surface and a pair of securing tabs formed in a pair of side plates. Each securing tab has a pair of tines on the end. A distance from a front of each tine to a rearward side of the shield front surface is not more than the distance from each inner wall to the front surface of the insulative housing. In assembly, the tines of the securing tabs are bent into the corresponding recesses to securely engage with the inner walls and the bottom faces of the insulative housing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.